Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewinginstruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collectionof information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, includingsuggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork ReductionProject (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503.

1. AGENCY USE ONLY

(Leave blank)

2. REPORT DATE

December 2009

3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED

Master‘s Thesis

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Democratic Peace Theory and Greek-Turkish Relations in the Context of theEuropean Union

5. FUNDING NUMBERS6. AUTHOR(S)

Konstantinos Patsiaouras

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

Naval Postgraduate SchoolMonterey, CA 93943-5000

8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATIONREPORT NUMBER

9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES)

N/A

10. SPONSORING/MONITORINGAGENCY REPORT NUMBER

11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect theofficial policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government.

12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited

12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE

A

13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words)

The European Council Helsinki Summit marked the initiation of the rapprochement procedure betweenTurkey and Greece, a dyad that for many decades was a source of instability in the Eastern part of Europe.

After 1999, Greece abandoned the ―Cold War rhetoric‖ in its relations with Turkey and shifted its foreignpolicy towards a more moderate stance by raising its veto regarding Turkey‘s accession in the EuropeanUnion (EU). Greece‘s new foreign policy has many common elements with the Democrat

ic Peace Theoryof international relations. Hence, this thesis asks the following question: do the Greco-Turkish peacefulrelations from 1999 until today fits the Democratic Peace Theory? By examining the three pillars of thetheory, namely economic interdependence, consolidation of democracy and common participation inintergovernmental organization, the thesis concludes that the Democratic Peace Theory cannot explain theGreco-Turkish rapprochement procedure initiated by Greece after 1999.